Sicilian Busiate alla Trapanese Recipe

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by Maggie Turansky


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Obviously, heavenly pasta dishes exist all over Italy – from carbonara in Rome to tagliatelle alla Bolognese in Bologna – but there are few that are as unique and interesting as in Sicily. And one dish that I kept ordering again and again during my time there was pasta with pesto Trapanese.

Hailing from the town of Trapani in the west of Sicily, you can find this all over the island. Trapani-style pesto is made with fresh tomatoes and almonds along with basil and other herbs – so it’s quite different from traditional Genovese pesto.

Tossed over spiralled busiate pasta, this is a swoon-worthy pasta dish that is also incredibly simple to make!

Busiate Pesto alla Trapanese
Busiate Pesto alla Trapanese

How to Make Busiate with Pesto Trapanese

You can have this dish on the table in about 20 minutes from starting – and it’s incredibly simple. So the first step is to make the pesto, which is easiest done in a food processor.

Traditionally, this would be made in a mortar and pestle (hence the name “pesto”) and you absolutely can make it by hand following the same steps outlined in my pesto without a food processor recipe – just make sure to also very finely chop the tomatoes!

Ingredients for this pasta
Ingredients for this pasta

So that being said, I like to start with toasting my slivered almonds (or use whole blanched almonds) in a 180°C/350°F for about 5 minutes. Once this is done, add them to the bowl of a food processor along with some pecorino cheese and a few cloves of roughly chopped garlic.

Pulse this a few times to grind the nuts, grate the cheese and finely chop the garlic.

Pulsing the almonds, pecorino and garlic
Pulsing the almonds, pecorino and garlic

Then, add in some quartered cherry tomatoes, some fresh basil, parsley and a touch of mint along with a generous pinch of salt. Pulse this until the herbs are chopped and the tomatoes are broken down.

Now, with the machine running, stream in some extra virgin olive oil. Once that’s all incorporated, taste the pesto to adjust for seasoning and add salt and pepper where needed. And that’s it with making the pesto!

Streaming in the oil
Streaming in the oil

Go ahead and cook your busiate in some heavily salted water for a couple of minutes less than the package suggests.

If you can’t find busiate paste, then go ahead and use whatever shape you’d like. It will be fine with something like rigatoni or penne and also great with spaghetti if that’s all you can get your hands on.

And now we’re going to build a pasta sauce similar to how I do in my Genovese pesto pasta recipe. When the pasta has a minute or two left of cooking, add the pesto to a large skillet and set over medium heat.

Ladle a little bit of pasta cooking water into the skillet and whisk to combine with the pesto – this should also gently melt the cheese and create a creamy consistency.

Whisking the pasta sauce
Whisking the pasta sauce

Once the pasta is done, use tongs to lift it from the cooking water into the skillet and toss to combine in the sauce. Go ahead and add a splash of pasta water here and there to adjust the consistency of the sauce as you toss the pasta in it.

Do this for a minute or two and then you’re done! Serve the pasta immediately, topping with more pecorino if desired.

And if you’re after even more Sicilian pasta recipes, then make sure to check out my pasta con le sarde – this is slightly more involved but just as unique and delicious!

Stirring in the pasta
Stirring in the pasta
Busiate alla Trapanese

Busiate alla Trapanese

This fresh tomato and almond pesto hails from the western Sicilian town of Trapani but can be found all over the island. Typically served over spiralled busiate pasta, you can use any shape you'd like if you can't get your hands on it.
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Servings 2
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 50 g (½ cup) slivered almonds
  • 30 g ( cup) pecorino romano cheese roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
  • 200 g (7 oz) cherry tomatoes quartered
  • 30 g ( cups) basil
  • 10 g (3 tbsp) flat-leaf parsley
  • 10 fresh mint leaves
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
  • 250 g (½ lb) busiate pasta

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Add the almonds to a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden and fragrant – about 5-7 minutes.
    Toasting the almonds
  • Add the toasted almonds to a food processor bowl (see note) along with the pecorino and garlic. Pulse several times until all of the ingredients are finely chopped.
    Pulsing the almonds, pecorino and garlic
  • Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, mint and a generous pinch of salt. Pulse a few times, just until the herbs are broken up and the tomatoes are roughly chopped.
    Adding the tomatoes, basil, parsley & mint
  • With the machine running, slowly stream in the oil until it's all incorporated and the pesto is smooth and emulsified. Set aside.
    Streaming in the oil
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add your pasta. Cook for 2 minutes less than the package suggests, About 1 minute before the pasta is finished cooking, set a large skillet over medium heat and add the pesto. Ladle about 60ml (¼ cup) of pasta cooking water into the skillet and whisk until it is combined with the pesto.
    Whisking the pasta sauce
  • When the pasta is finished cooking, use tongs to transfer it to the skillet. Toss the pasta in the sauce until it's thickened and the pesto coats the noodles – adding a splash of pasta water if necessary to get the desired consistency. Serve immediately, topping with more grated pecorino and fresh basil.
    Stirring in the pasta

Notes

If you don’t have a food processor, this pesto can be made by hand in a mortar and pestle or with a sharp knife. You can follow a similar method found in my handmade pesto recipe, ensuring that you chop the tomatoes very finely.

Nutrition

Calories: 555kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 204mg | Potassium: 628mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1977IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 251mg | Iron: 4mg

Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.

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Busiate with pesto Trapanese may well be one of Sicily’s most unique pasta dishes – simple to make and delicious to eat, this is sure to quickly become a family favourite!

Are you after a recipe for pesto Trapanese pasta? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments!

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Maggie is the creator behind No Frills Kitchen. She is a world traveller, home cook and recipe developer who loves to experiment with new cuisines and techniques at every chance she gets. No stranger to improvising and making do with the equipment and ingredients she has available, she is passionate about sharing her knowledge with others. Read More

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